| Component | Requirement |
|-----------|--------------|
| Ceph cluster | Reef 18.2.x, healthy, with RBD pool |
| Gateway nodes | 1+ dedicated nodes or collocated with MON/MGR (not recommended for prod) |
| OS | RHEL 9 / Rocky 9 / Ubuntu 22.04 (LTS) |
| Networking | Separate frontend (iSCSI initiator) and backend (Ceph cluster) networks recommended |
| Packages | ceph-iscsi, tcmu-runner, targetcli, python3-rtslib |
| Authentication | CHAP optional but recommended |
You now have a fully functional iSCSI target on your Cake 18 server. This allows other machines to mount remote block devices as if they were local disks — perfect for virtualization, storage consolidation, or lab environments.
Next steps: Experiment with different backstores (like block for physical disks), enable mutual CHAP, or set up multiple LUNs per target.
Note: If “Cake 18” refers to a different OS (e.g., FreeBSD, OpenMediaVault, or an embedded system), please provide more details for a tailored guide.
iSCSI Cake (also known as CCDisk) is a Windows-based iSCSI target software that allows you to export server storage resources—such as hard disks, partitions, or VMDK files—to client computers over a network. These clients then see the remote storage as a local hard drive.
While "iSCSI Cake 1.8" is often mentioned in legacy tech circles, the most recently documented stable version is 1.70. Key Features of iSCSI Cake
Virtualization Support: It is one of the first iSCSI targets to support exporting VMware (.vmdk) files as local disks.
Copy-on-Write: Protects server data by redirecting client write requests to a temporary working directory.
Performance: Supports advanced caching options, including server-side memory cache and client-side disk or memory cache.
Application Compatibility: Unlike standard SMB shares, iSCSI Cake supports databases and games that require block-level access. Installation & Configuration Guide 1. Server Installation (The Target) To set up your server to share storage:
Download & Run: Download the installer from the official developer's site or a trusted mirror.
Run as Service: The software typically installs as a Windows Service with a GUI for management.
Add iSCSI Disks: Open the iSCSI Cake management console and add the disk or file you wish to share. iscsi cake 18 install
Set Cache: Configure the Server Cache (under "Target setup") to allocate system memory for faster client reading. 2. Client Installation (The Initiator) Clients need to connect to the server to use the storage:
Install Microsoft iSCSI Initiator: This is built into modern Windows (accessible via iscsicpl from the command prompt).
Install iSCSI Cake Client: For optimal performance and to enable client-side caching, install the specialized iSCSI Cake Client on the workstations.
Discovery: In the iSCSI Initiator, go to the Discovery tab and enter the IP address of the iSCSI Cake server.
Connect: Select the discovered target and click Connect. The disk will now appear in your local Windows Disk Management. Usage Limitations
Trial Period: The standard free trial supports up to 10 users and is valid for 15 days.
Compatibility: While primarily for legacy Windows systems (XP, 2000, 2003), it is also used in Internet Cafes for diskless booting and high-speed game storage. Cheapest iSCSI SAN for Windows 2008/SQL Server clustering?
This query could be referring to a few different things. Are you looking for a guide on installing iSCSI Cake, a Windows-based iSCSI target software (often used for diskless booting), specifically on Windows Server 2018 or a similar version? Or are you referring to a specific version 1.8 of the software?
Please clarify which operating system or software version you are targeting so I can provide the correct installation steps.
iSCSI Cake 1.8 (also known as CCDisk) is a storage server application that allows you to share your server's disk space, partitions, or virtual disk files (like VMDK or ISO) with multiple client computers as if they were local hard drives. Installation & Configuration Overview
The setup involves two main components: the iSCSI Cake Server software and the iSCSI Initiator on the client machines. 1. Server Installation
Download & Install: Obtain the iSCSI Cake V1.8 installer and run it on a Windows-based server (compatible with Windows 2000 through 2008/Vista). You now have a fully functional iSCSI target
Service Setup: The software runs as a Windows service and provides a GUI for management.
Add Disks: Use the management interface to add storage resources. You can share physical disks, specific partitions, or file-based storage like ISOs and VMDKs.
Security: For data protection, you can configure CHAP (Challenge Handshake Authentication Protocol) in the setup panel, which requires a password (ideally 12–15 characters) for client access. 2. Client (Initiator) Configuration
Initiator Setup: On the client machine, open the Microsoft iSCSI Initiator (found in Control Panel -> Administrative Tools).
Discovery: Navigate to the "Discovery" tab and enter the IP address of your iSCSI Cake server.
Target Connection: Go to the "Targets" tab, select the detected target from the server, and click "Connect".
Finalize: Once connected, the remote storage will appear in Disk Management as an unallocated disk. You must initialize, partition, and format it to use it like a standard local drive. Key Features of Version 1.8
Copy-on-Write: Protects server data by redirecting client write requests to a separate working directory, ensuring the original server files remain unchanged.
Super Client Mode: Only a designated "Super Client" can permanently change data on the server, which is useful for updates in environments like internet cafes.
Scalability: Supports up to 16 LUNs (Logical Unit Numbers) per client and can share storage over both LAN and WAN. Downloads - iSCSI Cake
iSCSI Cake 1.8 is a legacy iSCSI target software for Windows (compatible with Windows XP, 2003, and Vista) used primarily to share server storage with remote clients as if it were a local disk. Key "Solid" Feature: COW Protection The most distinct feature of iSCSI Cake is its Copy-on-Write (COW) mechanism Data Integrity
: Clients can perform write, delete, and format operations on the shared disk without actually changing any bytes on the server’s original storage. Note: If “Cake 18” refers to a different OS (e
: This prevents unauthorized or accidental modification of base images by clients, making it a popular choice for diskless boot environments like internet cafes. Installation & Setup Steps Server Installation : Download the installer (e.g., iscsicakesetup.exe
) and follow the wizard to install the software as a Windows service. Target Configuration
: Open the iSCSI Cake GUI to add disks, partitions, or virtual disk files (like VMDK) to be shared. Client Connection Microsoft iSCSI Initiator
on the client machine to connect to the server's IP address. Optional Authentication : You can enable
(Challenge Handshake Authentication Protocol) for secure connections, requiring a password (secret) between 12 and 15 characters. Core Features 64-bit Addressing : Supports storage capacities beyond the 2TB limit.
: Includes both server-side (read-only) and client-side (read/write) memory caching to boost IO performance. Compatibility : Supports Windows, Linux, and Solaris initiators. Are you looking to use iSCSI Cake for a diskless boot setup or general network storage iSCSI Cake User Manual Guide | PDF | Computers - Scribd
iSCSI Cake is a lightweight Windows utility used to create virtual disks and share them over the network using the iSCSI protocol. It is popular in diskless boot environments (for internet cafes or labs) because of its simple "memory cache" features.
Here is the breakdown of the installation process and the key features you can expect from version 1.8.
The installation process for this software is straightforward, but it requires specific permissions because it involves kernel-level drivers for disk emulation.
Prerequisites:
Steps:
